Negotiation Simulation: Climate Diplomacy: The Kyoto Protocol Climate Diplomacy is a seven-person multilateral role-play that simulates the

international negotiators to develop an agreement to ameliorate or replace the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The focus of UNFCCC is to develop a successor arrangement to the Kyoto Protocol, which establishes emissions limits for participating developing countries that will expire in 2012. I. OVERVIEW OF THE NEGOTIATION Role-Players This negotiation simulation is played with seven roles, six of which are country representatives and one of which is the Conference of the Parties (COP) Presidency that acts as the Chair of the meeting. The following role-players participate in the negotiation: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) Brazil Canada China European Union United States COP Presidency (Meeting Chair)

The COP Presidency acts as chairperson of the meeting and facilitates discussion. Agenda for the Negotiation Session The negotiation session will last 40 minutes. The COP Presidency will serve as meeting chairperson, a neutral party that facilitates the country representatives in the process of negotiation. The COP Presidency is responsible for conducting the session according to the following agenda: 1. Introduction by COP Presidency (3 minutes) 2. Presentation of Agenda by COP Presidency, Discussion, and Approval (5 minutes) 3. Country Opening Statements (2 minutes) 4. Explore options and potential terms for a mutually acceptable resolution of issues and agreement (15 minutes). 5. Negotiation of final agreement (15 minutes) Negotiation of CO2 emission Limitation: COP calls for all developed countries to commit to a quantified emission limitation and reduction targets, and developing countries to enhance nationally appropriate mitigation actions to address climate change.

Developing countries should receive sufficient financial, technical, and capacity building support. The plan calls for both mitigation actions and financial support. The plan states that preventing global warming requires developed countries to make reductions of 25% to 40% of 1990 levels by 2020 and require developing countries to emit less than business as usual projections. There are four areas that require further negotiation to reach a comprehensive climate agreement: mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, and finance. The negotiations focus on resolving the key issues: 1. Mitigation a. Developed Country Mitigation Commitments: i. Total percentage reduction from 1990 level by 2020 ii. Annual percentage reductions b. Developing Country Mitigation Actions: i. Nationally mitigation actions ii. Reporting, Monitoring and Verification iii. Financial support from developed countries iv. Goal: Total percentage reduction from 1990 level by 2020 v. Goal: Annual percentage reductions 2. Technology Transfer to Developing Countries a. Terms of technology transfer arrangements b. Financial support for acquiring and implementing technology transfer 3. Adaptation a. Financial support to LDCs Consensus Decision Making Under the Kyoto Protocol Decisions under the Kyoto Protocol are made by consensus, not majority vote. Countries object to being bound by majority vote. Consensus decision-making requires that all major countries consent to the arrangements negotiated by the parties. If a country does not agree to the arrangements and the group adopts a decision without them, that country is unlikely to sign or ratify the new arrangement, which undermines the goal of an international climate regime designed to prevent dangerous climate change. Negotiation Rules Avoid making personal attacks on other group members; Share relevant information with other group members; Explain the reasons behind one's statements, questions, and actions; Keep to the agenda; No private discussions; all discussions take place as a group; Developed countries (US, EU) have contributed the most to causing climate change and have greater financial and institutional capacity to mitigate and adapt to it. Accordingly, these same countries accepted emissions limits under the Kyoto Protocol (US and Canada abandoned the Protocol).

Developing countries (Brazil, China) do not have specific emissions targets but are committed under the UNFCCC to take actions to limit and prevent further emissions. These parties only obligation is to mitigate and adapt to climate change. China in particular claims that, although it is the largest emitter in the world, its per capita emission is low, relative to DCs; and second in order to develop China has to expand its emissions in the short run. Least Developed Countries (LDCs) (Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS)) possess the lowest level of socioeconomic development. LDCs are especially vulnerable to the climate change because their economies are underdeveloped and they are located in areas at high risk to its effects, such as flooding, desertification and drought. Kyoto Protocol The Kyoto Protocol is a separate treaty under the UNFCCC. The Kyoto Protocol entered into force on 16 February 2005. By 2011, 191 parties have ratified the Protocol. The Kyoto Protocol implements the UNFCCC by obligating developed countries and economies in transition countries to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by an average of 5% below their 1990 emissions levels during the 2008 to 2012 period. Developing countries that have ratified the protocol are only obligated to monitor and report emissions. The Protocol expires after 2012. Developed countries that signed the Kyoto Protocol are called Annex B Countries and are basically the same as Annex I countries under the UNFCCC. The United States is the only major developed country today that signed and ratified the UNFCCC but has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol. Canada withdrew from the Protocol in 2011. Annex B Countries are required to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by the percentage set forth in Annex B to the Kyoto Protocol as compared to the 1990 base year. Annex B countries that were part of the former Soviet Union and Eastern Europe were permitted to select a different base year other than 1990, subject to approval by the COP/MOP. The Kyoto Protocol does not impose emissions limits on several large global emitters, notably China, India, South Korea, Mexico, South Africa, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Ukraine, and Indonesia, who are among the top 20 GHG emitters and represent approximately 30% of GHG emissions. In addition, because the United States has not ratified the Kyoto Protocol, additional 22% of emissions are not regulated by it. Accordingly, the Kyoto Protocol governs only approximately 40% of global GHG emissions. If the goal of the Kyoto Protocol is to stabilize GHG emissions at levels that prevent a substantial change in global mean temperature, then broadening the group of countries governed by an emissions limit is necessary. Flexible Mechanisms under the Kyoto Protocol

The Kyoto Protocol provides three market-based mechanisms to help parties achieve their emissions reduction targets in a cost-efficient way. These mechanisms are Emissions Trading, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM), and Joint Implementation (JI). Emissions Trading Clean Development Mechanism (CDM): The goal is to generate investment in developing countries, and to enhance the transfer of environmentally friendly technologies, leading to sustainable development. The CDM allows developed countries to invest in emissions reductions projects in developing countries and earn credit for those emissions reductions to use to meet their own emissions reduction obligations, or to sell to others to meet emissions reductions targets. Joint Implementation (JI) Activities implemented jointly that allow emitters in developed countries to implement projects that reduce emissions, or increase removal of carbon using sinks, in other developed countries. Like the CDM, Joint Implementation projects generate emission reduction units (ERUs), each representing the reduction of one ton of carbon, which can be used by the investor to meet their own emissions targets or to sell to third parties.